Greenings

What do we want? Declare what we want in the form of a Green “I am… ” statement.

This tells the mind what to do for us – to create the state of being: excited, prepared, successful, etc. Declaring, “I am sad,” tells the mind to make us sad. Instead, regarding a Red Light emotion/a state of being, declare how we feel.

Saying, I am sad/upset/disappointed/frustrated, scared, etc. anchors that, intensifies it. It is declaring that’s who we are, rather how we feel. States of being are more long-lasting, feelings are more fleeting.

The former construction site sign declares that there has been an inconvenience. The latter offers an apology – IF any inconvenience has occurred. This subtle yet significant difference highlights the impact – and the growing awareness that comes from being more fully conscious of our language – and consciously choosing Green.

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Regarding a task:

Sometimes it’s harder.Sometimes it’s easier.

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Regarding a pain:

Sometimes it lasts a long time.Sometimes it doesn’t last long.

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Regarding a positive emotion:

Sometimes it doesn’t last long.Sometimes it lasts a long time.

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Regarding a shoe size:

Your left foot is bigger than your right one.Your right foot is smaller than your left one.

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The greatest conflicts are not between two people but between one person and himself. Garth Brooks

============“Develop your talents, be they coding or calligraphy, and proceed with conviction and compassion. You are alive, and you should act accordingly.” Andrew J. Swanson, Seattle musician, member of Heatwarmer, Want, and Speak musical projects.

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“We’re all better off when we’re all better off.” Eric Liu, (with Nick Hanauer), The Garden of Democracy: A New American Story of Citizenship, the Economy and the Role of Government, on the Charlie Rose Show.

============Green Light – the Land of the Ideal. This is a great place for our minds to dwell, for our hearts to focus on, for our lives to aim for.

============“You probably don’t want to consider this option.”

This statement Reds all over the Green idea you wanted support for. One, if there was support before, most likely it just got diminished. Two, it plants the seed in another’s mind to dismiss the option quickly, with little or no thought.

“Here’s an option with some benefits to consider.” This Greens up the possibilities for support.

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Don’t plant the seeds you don’t want to harvest.Plant and nourish what you desire.

============“I just had a great time boating with a friend.”

“Oh, I gotta tell you about the disaster I had boating.”

This is a 1-2-3 strike-out. The “listener” missed the ball three times in a row, with three Red responses to one Green comment. The first strike – ignoring the comment/person. The second, redirecting attention to oneself. The third strike, discoloring the Green conversation with a Red response/action/comment.

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I want the cheaper one. (The choice is based on lack, scarcity – a Red thought.)

I want the more economical one. (The choice is based on information, reason – a Green thought.)

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Green Light helps us be more mindful, more aware of the language we use, the thoughts we choose. It’s easy, natural, normal and habitual to be on autopilot. This often means we’re sending our brain instructions that lead to Red results – something we would not mindfully choose. We live our lives by design (Green) or default (Red).

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To succeed in life you need three things : a wishbone, a backbone and a funny bone. Reba McEntire

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Responding to these two powerful questions will bring us vital insights – especially if we keep at it for some time, over time. (It applies to us individuals, as families, to organizations and more.)

Notice the difference in power, in likelihood of the preferred outcome to occur. This progression conveys a Greening of the thought, the language, and thus the results.

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I was at a restaurant picking up food to go. The server’s computer froze up so he called to the back area for help. A manager came over, offering no assistance; in a critical/Red style, she asked “What did you do?!” The manager tried to process my order and couldn’t do it either. Suddenly the computer woke up and the server completed my order. I thanked him for his help. How hard would it have been for the manager to approach the server in a Green way? We all would have felt better – and the company would have looked better/Greener.

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We create our own misery and unhappiness. The purpose of suffering is to make us understand we are the one who cause it. Willie Nelson
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Have you ever wondered why the little zip-shut plastic bags come SEALED?! Their sole function is to hold things, which you cannot do without first undoing the seal. This is a bit like having a car that requires a new key every time you want to start it. Granted, even though this means that thousands of folks have to open millions of bags to use them for the single purpose they exist – to hold something.

In the big picture, this is a little thing. What is the big picture? Wonder what the manufacturing process was related to discussing this element. Was it a known factor from the outset or did the machinery and process get set up and then this was discovered? At the point of discovery, did leaders wonder how best to serve the customer – or just what was the easiest, least expensive way to do the job regardless.

The humble little bag is symbolic of the countless choices people make along the way that determine many outcomes, some unanticipated, some simply accepted regardless of consequences, amidst many other possibilities. Green choices require conscious choice. Where are the sealed bags in your life? Where are you sealing bags for others? What new choices are possibilities?

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Someone who tells you they don’t think you’re going to make it, that you’re going to just collapse in a heap and fail may mean well but not do well – for you, at that time. The one who, after you’ve made it through the tunnel, however long and difficult and fearful it was, says to you, “Look what you did! Hooray for you. I can tell you now that for a while I was afraid you weren’t going to make it,” offers support – of a useful, productive sort. This not only allows you to celebrate coming out the other end, but also to acknowledge the achievement itself – and discoveries along the way.

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That’s the exception that proves the rule.

Actually, it may just be an exception – or it may have nothing to do with the “rule”. The rule itself may be bogus. Regardless, it’s an easy, reflex response that may simply “prove” that no thinking is going on – Green or otherwise. Thinking – a very Green thing to do.
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A positive attitude may not solve all your problems,

but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort.

– Herm Albright

This is a curious quote. It starts out Green but ends Red. (One is being positive in order to annoy others? And that makes it worthwhile?) Granted, the writer’s motivation may have been humor. Green humor isn’t about manipulation, one-up-manship, putdowns, anything for a laugh. (Granted, it does often add a bit of challenge to one’s funny bone to be humorous AND Green.)

A positive attitude may not solve all your problems,but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort.

Switch just one word and you Green the full message.

A positive attitude may not solve all your problems,but it will serve enough people to make it worth the effort. (- Herm AllGreen?!)

Play with it yourself to see how else you might tweak the words and Green the message. What can you create that’s humorous – and all Green?

Notice the silent partner (often Red) that is often the unspoken, subtle yet powerful element of communication. Just because it’s not stated doesn’t mean it hasn’t been received.

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Recession Generation. This Red sound bite is also a cheap shot – an attention-grabber – powerful, limiting and misrepresentative. That term can take a big bite out of the future for this generation – a self-fulfilling prophecy. It was “just an article title,” yet many times, in this ultra-connected world, those little labels go viral and take on a life of their own. Accuracy/validity can become irrelevant. Let us be aware of the impact of what we say – in the moment and beyond.

Connected Generation. That’s a more descriptive – and Green – label. Only accept labels (if any) for yourself that you choose – consciously – and that serve a Green purpose.

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Notice the color of some of our often-used maxims and phrases. Some include verbal, mental toxins. Let’s notice what we’re really saying.

Curiosity killed the cat.Curiosity saved the cat.

“She’s drop-dead gorgeous.”

What?! As in “would look good in a coffin?!”

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Check out www.michaelhartzell.com for this 5-19-12 article, “When there is no solution…”
He offers ideas for when others won’t cooperate and people lose hope. Find other wisdom for business success as well.

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A major company sends an email with the subject line: Account Alert: Your account is coming due. “Account Alert” is the subject line starting phrase for a message stating your payment was received. This prompts a concern – did they receive it, did I forget, etc. Switching that message to begin, “Payment received,” would be Greener.

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Along the beach there is a lovely little park with a bench. Someone found a large flat rock and painted a tic-tac-toe board on it. They placed a set of black rocks and white rocks on it – and invitation to folks to sit and play a bit. It also generated smiles from passersby – a bonus result of the creator’s thoughtful Green action.

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There were a few rocks arranged in the middle of a sidewalk the other day. At first I thought it was just someone’s creativity. When I got closer, I realized that was doubly so. The rocks encircled a dog doo deposit – kindly alerting folks to its presence – and preventing them from stepping into the brown shoe-glue.

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Grabba Daba Dog Doo – the sign on the back of a truck creatively, humorously – and most importantly, memorably – conveys what their business is. A Green service, with Green humor – a winning combo.